Ensaymada, Ensaymada, and More Ensaymada

Ensaymada, Ensaymada, and More Ensaymada

For the longest time, I wouldn't even look at an ensaymada.  I brough flashbacks when The Mother catered and I helped.  I remembered the constant process of buttering the roll, putting cheese, and than pour sugar.  I wasn't exactly the neatest person, so I would have sugar and cheese all over me.  At one point, I even had nightmares about the pastry.  I vividly remember have hundreds of the rolls to make, prep, and package.  My friends used to help but eventually they too would be sick of it.  For many years, I wouldn't eat one.  We would get packages from various family members who had a Red Ribbon or a Goldilocks near by and I wouldn't touch them.  Don't get me wrong, both bakeries did a great job making this but I just couldn't eat it.  I finally started to crave it quite recently.  I still have some issues eating a large one but occassionly I want some for breakfast.  Due to the process and complexity of this, I was very hesitant to make it.  The Mother gave me her recipe and I was able to make it really well but it wasn't up to my liking.  OK I really did not like the dozen eggs that goes into this recipe.  The worse part was that the recipe called for mainly egg yokes.  I didn't couldn't imaging eating something with that many egg yokes.  So my hunt began.  There was requirement I was basing my search on:

1. 
   
   
   Must be Soft
2. 
   
   
   Use less eggs
3. 
   
   
   Used whole eggs (I hated the left over egg whites.  I was eating egg white omletes for months)
4. 
   
   
   Must be light (most recipes produced a heavy dough
5. 
   
   
   Must not be dry
6. 
   
   
   Ability to be kept for more than a day (The Mother's recipe was good but it seem to stale after a day or two)

Would Like:

1. 
   
   
   Spring back when squeezed.  I know that sounds strange but to me that is a good bread recipe
2. 
   
   
   Sweet but not too sweet
3. 
   
   
   Minimal ingredients (I always felt simple produces the best products)

I know it seems like a lot of requirements but I was very particular to the results (ok The Husband was really particular and I agreed to alot of them).  After 5 good tries I was able to get the flavor I wanted and the texture.

*I didn't have to do as many as the pan de sal, I had a basic idea my direction. 

The Husband has always called it a brioche so I tried to use a brioche recipe.  I like it and exspecially the buttery taste but it wasn't exactly what I was looking for.  I wanted the dough to have more moisture. 

I was testing so much, I kinda forgot to take pictures  :D

After my trip to Chinatown and my discovery of tangzhong starter.  I decided to try this method on a sweet bread dough.  Depending on your taste, you might want to find one with more eggs or maybe more sugar.  Instead subsituate some of the water with 70 grams of the Tangzhong starter and it does wonders to recipe.  It soft, fluffy, and light.  I'm not sure how long it will last since it didn't  really stay long around the house but I plan to test that next.